From the Office of the Minister of Magic
by Katie Bell
Summary: Well, umm, read the title. Letters and stuff.


# From The Office of The Minister of Magic

The style of this story is a bit unusual.If you'll note, it's made up entirely of letters, memos, etcetera.Why?I just thought it'd be fun.I'll try to make everything clear.

To: Bill Weasley, Curse Breaker, Egypt

From: Anne Ferras, Secretary to the Minister of Magic, England

Dear Bill,

Sorry it's taken me so long to write back.We have been so busy the last few days.Totally hectic.I'll tell you, the day they recapture that Sirius Black will come as quite a relief.

Anyway, Fudge has had the entire Ministry disorganized for the past week, ever since Black escaped.Don't know how much you know about it over there, but seems that everyone in the country is talking about it here.It's rather scary, actually.

Your Dad was in here this morning to see Fudge.He looked well, but tired; the trip from Egypt must have been hard.They had a very long conversation about something, probably Black.Really, for working here at the Ministry, it's amazing what I don't know.The crazy orders that have been going out this past week…It's enough to drive me nuts.I keep telling myself that this is only a temporary position.I don't think I could stand to be here the rest of my life.

I've got to go.Old Fudge wants me to transcribe more letters.I hope to hear from you soon.

With Love

Anne

To: Mafalda Hopkirk, Improper Use of Magic Office

From: Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic

RE: Incident at No. 4 Privet Dr.

Look, I'm the Minister of Magic, not you.I know that the incident was a severe breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Wizardry, but what are we supposed to do?We can't expel _Harry Potter_, now can we?I mean, we've got enough problems as it is, what with the escape and all.And I've spoken with the boy; I don't think it'll happen again.And everything straightened out now, right?The matter is settled.

Cornelius Fudge

To: Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic

From: Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department.

RE: Orders as per Sept. 1

Everything went just as scheduled.No unexpected problems, no appearances by Black.I have received confirmation from Professor Dumbledore himself that Harry arrived safely.With the Dementors in place, I see no reason why any harm should befall him.

Arthur Weasley

Mum and Dad,

The first week back went pretty well.Scabbers still doesn't seem to be doing too well – it's that blasted cat of Hermione's.Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is great!Professor Lupin let us battle a boggart.You should have seen me!It was hilarious when Neville faced it, though.The boggart became Professor Snape, and Neville dressed it in his grandmother's clothes!The whole school's been laughing about it.And the way Professor Lupin faced the Dementors…See, they came onto our train just before we arrived.It was an awful thing, really terrifying.Ginny went all white, and Harry fainted.'Course, that Malfoy's been laughing about that all week.The other big news is that Hagrid is a teacher!Professor Dumbledore let him take on Care of Magical Creatures.There was a bit of an accident the first day though; Malfoy got his arm damaged.Oh, but he's insufferable this year!

Got to go, Fred and George are about to cause trouble and I don't want to miss it.

Love, Ron

Dear Boys and Ginny,

I hope that you are all right, I didn't hear that anyone had been hurt, but really!I was shocked when your father learned about that attack!Just fortunate that nobody was in the dormitory, I suppose.Please write to me immediately and tell me what happened.I'm simply sick with worry.

Percy, I want you to keep your eye on all your brothers, and Harry too of course.I really worry about something happening, especially when you're not in a class.I don't want anything happening to you.Not like last year.And Ron, you stay in the castle.Don't go wandering around.All of you behave yourselves, please.

Give my love to Harry too.

Mother.

Dear Mother,

You don't need to worry about Ron and Harry getting into trouble – I'll keep my eye on them.I'm sure they'll listen to me.I do wish Fred and George would take things more seriously, though.They bewitched my Head Boy badge again.

I really must go now, Fred and George just dropped a Dungbomb, and I have to deal with them.

Sincerely, Percy.

To: Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic

From: Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

I have received your letter, and I believe that the third weekend in December would be the ideal time for you to visit.Truthfully, though, I do not see what good it will do for you to come at this time.We have taken the strongest security measures to augment the Dementors that you have insisted on using, and I will not back down and allow them inside the castle grounds.When they did so without my permission, the results were nearly fatal.I will use any force necessary to keep this school free from those creatures.

I will be expecting you unless I hear otherwise.

Yours Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore.

Dear Mum,

Thank you for the sweater.Harry says he likes his too.You will not believe this, but somebody sent Harry a Firebolt for Christmas!Really, they did.Only, we don't know who, and Hermione has to go and stick her nose where it doesn't belong, and now it has to be stripped down to make sure nobody jinxed it.But how is Black supposed to buy a Firebolt if he's on the run, that's what I want to know.Anyway, Wood's furious. He can't think of anything but having the Firebolt for our next Quidditch matches.Honestly, I think he'll kill himself if the team doesn't win this year.

Anyway, I have to go now.It's time for Astronomy class.

Love, Ron.

Dear Bill,

Yes, Fudge is furious about the goings-on.It's been almost six months and we still haven't caught Black.And this last call was closer than they let out.The rumor is that he was actually inside the boy' dormitory at Hogwarts, and that the whole House might have been killed.Your brothers go there, can you tell me if this is true?

Oh, great, Mafalda Hopkirk just walked in.I'd better leave this letter off here.That woman is a pain in the neck.

Love from Anne.

Dear Anne,

The weather out here is nice and warm. I don't know if I'd ever want to come back to England after this place!About your letter.Yes, Black was in the Gryffindor boys' dorm.In fact, He was standing right over my brother Ron's bed with a knife!The way Ron tells it, he'd've been dead ten seconds later if he hadn't woken up. And I don't doubt it.

We sure don't hear much about the whole situation here in Egypt.Anyway, I'm looking at the time and I have to finish working on this curse.It's rather tricky to break, but I should manage it by tomorrow night.

Why don't you come out to Egypt this summer?There's some really neat stuff to see out here.Well, so long for now.

Love, Bill.

To all readers of the Daily Prophet.

This is Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.I wanted to correct any apprehensions you folk are suffering.

First of all, we are close on Black's tail.True, he did manage to escape, but we believe that we have him trapped now.

Second, we do not know how he escaped.However, it seems that he had no accomplices in it, whatever certain parties have been alleging.

Third, I beg all members of the magical community to remain calm.The Ministry of Magic has the situation firmly in hand.

Your servant, Cornelius Fudge.

To: Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic

From: Lucius Malfoy

I want to know who's to blame for all these screwups.First, that hippogriff gets away.I'm sure that that incompetent gamekeeper is behind that.Then you let Black escape.Then I discover that my son's been being taught by a werewolf for the past year, that Professor Dumbledore knew this, and that no-one's in trouble for that either? What are you doing?Are you completely useless?And people are accusing me of being in league with You-Know-Who!This is all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy!You better do something about this.I have very powerful connections, you know.

Lucius Malfoy

Dear Aunt Matilda,

I think I've moved in to very strange neighborhood.The people to the left of me, at number four, the Dursleys?Well, I thought they were just your average boring people at first.Then their son got home, and I thought they were average boring people with a fat, obnoxious, spoiled son.Then this other kid appears.As far as I can make out he's their nephew.Anyway, the son, Dudley, is terrified of Harry [the nephew] and seems to hate him.I was out gardening yesterday, and I heard an interesting altercation. Dudley was mocking Harry for something, being abnormal, I think and Harry says, coolly, almost to himself, "I think I'll write to my godfather this evening."Now, for some reason this causes Dudley to panic.He starts stammering and Harry laughs.Dudley says, "We'll call the police!" "Fat lot of good that'll do you when Sirius gets through with you," Harry says."I'll leave a note blaming everything on you," Dudley says.Harry: "You can't write."

"Oh, yeah?Well, I'll, I'll"

"You'll what?"

"I'll squash that scrawny bird of yours."

"Hah!You wouldn't dare.You're too afraid of what Sirius would do to you."He pulled a letter out of his pocket and looked at it.

Now, that all seems a little nuts to me.What do you think?Anyway, I hope you aren't too bored, and I'll try to visit you the end of this summer.

Yours, Greta.


End file.
